Defenders dismiss speculation over Kanye West's 'erratic' behavior

(CNN) -- Whether you believe he's drumming up publicity for his soon-to-be-released music or just really passionate, Kanye West is stirring controversy once again. But his defenders are quick to denounce speculation on social media that he's being erratic or has mental health issues.

The rapper has been weathering backlash after praising President Donald Trump, aligning himself with conservative Candace Owens and tweeting a picture of himself wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat.

West said he's just expressing his right to "independent thought," but the uproar has gotten so bad he's even been mocked by a puppet-turned-social media star named Keisha Jones.

It's also stirred conversation about his mental health.

"Diagnosing Kanye West with mental health issues due to his recent tweets is trivializing mental health and people who actually suffer from such," one person tweeted. "He is just another influential black man with trash opinions."

West has never spoken publicly of having or being diagnosed as mentally ill.

But that hasn't stopped speculation in the face of what some have called his Twitter "rants," rambling interviews and his 2016 hospitalization for stress and exhaustion that halted his "Saint Pablo" concert tour.

Prayers for Kanye West

On Wednesday, the rapper's wife, Kim Kardashian West, lashed out on Twitter at talk that there is something going on with his mental health.

"To the media trying to demonize my husband let me just say this... your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary," the reality TV star tweeted. "So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair."

She ended by saying, "Mental Health is no joke and the media needs to stop spitting that out so casually. Bottom line."

Fellow artists Chance the Rapper also defended West.

"Talked to him two days ago," Chance tweeted Wednesday. "He's in a great space and not affected by folk tryna question his mental or physical health. Same Ye from the Vmas, same Ye from the telethon."